The Ultimate Bat vs. Fungus Quiz

Something mysterious is going on in the bat world. Thousands of bats have been dying and the cause has yet to be determined. One thing most of the dead bats have in common is the appearance of fungus on their bodies. Is fungus the culprit behind the bats' deaths? Take this quiz to learn more about bats versus fungus.

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Question 1 of 20

What happens to bats in the winter?

They fly during the day.

They give birth.

They hibernate.

Many bats hibernate during the winter in order to survive.

Question 2 of 20

Why do bats hibernate in the winter?

to conserve energy

Bats hibernate in order to conserve energy while food is scarce during the cold, winter months.

to stay warm

to avoid migrating

Question 3 of 20

Where do bats usually hibernate?

in trees

in caves

Most bats hibernate in caves, called hibernaculums.

under bridges

Question 4 of 20

Something went wrong in _____ and bats were observed to be awake during the time that they should have been hibernating.

1986

1996

2006

Bats were spotted awake and flying during the day in Albany, N.Y., in the winter of 2006 when they should have been hiding away in hibernation.

Question 5 of 20

What unusual feature was shared by many of the bats who were awake in the winter months?

red eyes

a white fungus on their noses

The bats had a white fungus around their noses, appearing as though they had taken a whiff of flour. This is where the name White Nose Syndrome comes from. Affected bats also had scarring on their wings, ears and tails.

broken wings

Question 6 of 20

How many bats had died in New York State by early 2007?

1000

11000

Some 11,000 bats had died by early 2007 as a result of the plague, which appeared to be highly contagious.

21000

Question 7 of 20

How did the dead bats appear on examination?

bloated

obese

emaciated

The dead bats appeared emaciated, leading scientists to believe that the disease affects a bat's metabolism.

Question 8 of 20

White Nose Syndrome has been compared to Colony Collapse Disorder. Which animal was affected by Colony Collapse Disorder?

honeybees

Thousands of honeybees have died from a mysterious disease known as Colony Collapse Disorder. The bees showed similar symptoms to the affected bats, flying outside of their hives in the cold weather and appearing physically affected by the disease when they died.

whales

possums

Question 9 of 20

How many mosquitoes can a bat eat in one hour?

200

400

600

Bats help to keep mosquito populations, and other insect populations, under control. Some bats can eat up to 600 mosquitoes in one hour.

Question 10 of 20

What percentage of their body weight can bats eat in one night?

half

equal

Bats eat at least their body weight in food each night.

double

Question 11 of 20

Bracken Cave, Texas, is famous for its bat colony. How many insects does the colony eat each night?

50 tons

200 tons

The Bracken Cave bat colony eats more than 200 tons of insects each night. Each of those insects is one less insect in your home or one less mosquito to bite you!

500 tons

Question 12 of 20

What percentage of bats eat only insects?

0.5

0.7

About 70 percent of bats eat insects exclusively. Other bats eat fruit or small animals, such as frogs and rodents.

0.9

Question 13 of 20

Who is most affected by a drop in the bat population?

builders

farmers

Farmers benefit from the natural pest control that bats provide and feel the effects of a decreasing bat population.

scientists

Question 14 of 20

How far had the White Nose Syndrome spread by the beginning of 2008?

within a 40-mile radius

within a 60-mile radius

within an 80-mile radius

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation found that White Nose Syndrome had spread to almost every cave within an 80-mile radius of the caves that were found to be infected in 2007. This means around half a million bats had been infected. It is thought that the disease was spread when infected bats come into contact with healthy bats from nearby caves during the summer.

Question 15 of 20

What is the mortality rate for White Nose Syndrome?

40 to 60 percent

60 to 80 percent

80 to 100 percent

The mortality rate of bats with White Nose Syndrome is between 80 and 100 percent and is threatening the future of some bat species.

Question 16 of 20

Five bat species have been particularly affected by White Nose Syndrome. Which of the five affected species are wildlife specialists particularly concerned about?

the Indiana myotis

The Indiana myotis has already been classified as an endangered species, with only around 550,000 left across the world. The Indiana myotis tends to cluster together in large colonies, meaning the disease is likely to wipe out large numbers of them and may eliminate any chances of recovery.

the little brown myotis

the eastern small-footed myotis

Question 17 of 20

What is thought to be the cause of White Nose Syndrome?

climate change

pesticides

both of the above

Bat Conservation International have come up with three possible causes for White Nose Syndrome: an unknown virus or pathogen; different hibernation patterns as a result of climate change; and a decreased supply of food as a result of man-made pesticides, leaving bats to starve over the winter.

Question 18 of 20

What is thought to be the role of the fungus in White Nose Syndrome?

a cause

a symptom

It is thought that the fungus is a symptom of the disease, rather than the cause, since it has not been found on all bats that have died from the disease.

a potential cure

Question 19 of 20

Besides for White Nose Syndrome, how do many baby bats die?

They crash when they learn to fly.

Many baby bats crash when they take their first flight and are killed.

They are undernourished.

They freeze in the winter.

Question 20 of 20

What creature takes advantage of bat carcasses on cave floors?

ants

beetles

Dermestid beetles and their larvae eat the carcasses of the dead bats on cave floors.